If you are at peace with the decision to leave, despite the outcome of the conversation, I agree with Ferd that it would be prudent to skip the "negative" and be as gracious as possible.
Unless you're content with the likelihood of your pastor taking your leaving as a result of his stance on tithing and not reengaging with you upon your return - I wouldn't mention them. No matter how kindly you try to broach the subjects and ask him to clarify his stance - mentioning those issues in the same breath as saying, "Pastor, I feel led to move on to a church in a town that's part of my sphere of influence." - He's only going to latch on to the negative reasons. No fault to him, IMO, but that's just human nature.
If it's more important for you to clear the air with him before you move on, then by all means, have the conversation. But just know what the consequences are likely to be.
While your Pastor may well have an issue against you, what's mentioned above shouldn't be considered a snub.
In a previous post, you stated that for several months, you were only able to make it to church once a week. I don't know of many Pastors who would ask someone to preach if they were only able to attend one service a week. It's nothing against you personally. There are others in the church besides your Pastor who saw that you were only making it to one service a week -- this, after having been so involved as you said you were. How would it appear to them if you were asked to preach? I understand it's not fair and it's not indicative of your walk with God; however, it's hard to preach and be effective when other saints see you're only there once a week.
I went from a church were I was an assistant to the Pastor (emphasis was made on the "to the") and preached several times a month, due to his schedule; to not preaching at all the first three years where I currently am, and then preaching once in 2011 and once in 2012 -- although I did preach twice this year due to my Pastor having surgery and being limited for a couple weeks. Sometimes you just have to be patient and wait on God.
Just an aside... how does any of this even remotely look like the religion of the apostles?
No, the 'preaching schedule' part. The 'must attend x number of 'services' per week to be permitted (licensed?) to preach' part.
Etc.
Right. Was i supposed to stay home and let the church pay my bills instead of working to support my family? nobody in this church, except for this past week, has ever offered to try to help me get a job where they work.
Alongthe same vein...I heard a Christian radio talk show the other day where a lady called him to ask some questions. The radio teacher was teaching on "tithing". This lady related how that she and her husband had always tithed, but that they had lost her husband's income due to a terrible illness. He is now bed ridden. When she gets off work, she has to take care of him as well as handle all the household duties. They pay for someone to watch him during the day. Due to the loss of income, they are going in the red and heading towards bankruptcy.
The lady asked the radio teacher how she was suppose to tithe like this. He told her she should get a second job. I kid you not.
Just an aside... how does any of this even remotely look like the religion of the apostles?
I see your point; however, not all ministry is done behind a pulpit. In fact, most of the ministry we do is not even in the building.
Regarding the Apostles - in Acts 2 we see Peter as the voice, but what about the other Apostles. They were with Jesus, as we as in the upper room. Yet of the 120 in the room, only Peter spoke. In Acts 3, it's Peter and John going to the Temple, but again Peter is the one preaching. Acts 4-6 still Peter as the main preacher, yet all the other disciples I would assume would be able to preach...but until Stephen in Acts 6, it was just Peter. We finally hear from Philip, Paul and others later on, but mostly it was Peter at the beginning.
I see your point; however, not all ministry is done behind a pulpit. In fact, most of the ministry we do is not even in the building.
Regarding the Apostles - in Acts 2 we see Peter as the voice, but what about the other Apostles. They were with Jesus, as we as in the upper room. Yet of the 120 in the room, only Peter spoke. In Acts 3, it's Peter and John going to the Temple, but again Peter is the one preaching. Acts 4-6 still Peter as the main preacher, yet all the other disciples I would assume would be able to preach...but until Stephen in Acts 6, it was just Peter. We finally hear from Philip, Paul and others later on, but mostly it was Peter at the beginning.
As you mentioned, most of that preaching was evangelistic preaching to the lost, outside the 'church' (except for the Acts 2 reference of course). When I say 'religion of the apostles' I don't mean just specifically regarding the apostles themselves, but rather to the whole body of faith and practice they taught.
1 Cor 12-14 seems to describe a very different kind of 'meeting' than what goes on in many of today's churches. Sure, there is the occasional message in tongues from Sister So-And-So (almost always with the pastor interpreting)... but I had this crazy idea...
...it goes like this...
The only person who needs to speak in the meeting is the one through whom God decides to speak. Now, either God never decides to speak though anyone unless he meets the pastor's criteria of church attendance, personal grooming and dress standards, tithing, licensing with the general HQ, etc etc etc... OR the meeting must be an open meeting in order to allow God to use whoever He chooses.
And yes, I understand the 'danger' inherent in an open meeting. Why, you might even get someone saying or claiming something that might not be 100 percent doctrinally, Biblically correct. I do not see how the current trend of closed, tightly controlled meetings has prevented that from happening, but....
In any event, it seems we have moved further and further from what it meant to be 'Pentecostal' and we are becoming more structured, controlled, and perhaps even stifled.
And one more thing. I had a pastor (of a Oneness Pentecostal house church) mention to me during a message that 'you don't need a license to preach. You don't any approval from man to preach. If you are called of God to preach, there is a whole, wide world out there waiting to hear what you have to say.' (Paraphrased, of course).
The idea was if you are called to preach, you should have no problem with unscheduled, open air, public preaching. No license required.
And one more thing. I had a pastor (of a Oneness Pentecostal house church) mention to me during a message that 'you don't need a license to preach. You don't any approval from man to preach. If you are called of God to preach, there is a whole, wide world out there waiting to hear what you have to say.' (Paraphrased, of course).
The idea was if you are called to preach, you should have no problem with unscheduled, open air, public preaching. No license required.
While in Mexico, I met a local minister who does just that. He has a map of the county he lives in, and travels to every town and village preaching in the town square. They have established groups in every one of them, but they never cease preaching open air.
Just last night I told my wife that i wanted to follow this brother's pattern in our part of the county. i want to go to every little town and just preach Christ. I think that if people see you are consistent, you will attract an audience. They'll look for you to show up.
While in Mexico, I met a local minister who does just that. He has a map of the county he lives in, and travels to every town and village preaching in the town square. They have established groups in every one of them, but they never cease preaching open air.
Just last night I told my wife that i wanted to follow this brother's pattern in our part of the county. i want to go to every little town and just preach Christ. I think that if people see you are consistent, you will attract an audience. They'll look for you to show up.
Kind of like the apostles in the temple day after day...
Linear Mode
